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01 April 2015

250 Additional Garda Recruits Announced

Fitzgerald Announces 250 Additional Garda
Recruits· Two batches of 125 new recruits to enter Garda College in July &
October· 550 Gardaí will have been recruited by this Government between
September 2014 & October 2015

Local TD and Minister for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald today announced a planned recruitment of the next 250 new
Gardaí.

Fitzgerald said “I am pleased
that we are able to further increase recruitment of Gardaí into Templemore. This
shows the ongoing commitment of Government to supporting Garda Síochána in their
efforts to keep our communities safe.

“In
September 2014, the Government oversaw the first recruitment of new Gardaí since
2009. We reopened Garda College in Templemore and committed to not letting it
close again.

"To date 300 new recruits
have entered Garda College, with the first of these to join the force as sworn
members in May. I promised seamless ongoing recruitment and today I am happy to
confirm recruitment of a further 250 new Gardaí over coming
months.

“The additional recruitment will
bring to 550 the total number of Gardaí that will have been recruited by this
Government between September 2014 & October 2015. This is in addition to the
€27.5 million invested in new Garda vehicles between 2012 & 2014, marking a
massive increase on the €4.8 million provided for in Budgets
2009-2011.”

Fitzgerald also commended
members of the Garda Síochána for continuing to provide an admirable policing
service to our communities. “I would like to place on record my appreciation to
all members of the force for the work that they carry out on a daily basis in
maintaining safe communities across the country.”